Business Day Spotlight

The reality of operating a small creative agency in SA is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Sibulele Siko-Shosha, founder and creative director of The Dumile Group.

Siko-Shosh says The Dumile Group is a unit of creative companies that service both the advertising and broadcasting spaces. The company recently got a contact to produce marketing content for MTN-backed music streaming platform, Music Time.

Topics of discussion include: Siko-Shosha’s career in the creative industry; the rationale for starting her own business; the effect of Covid-19 on the business; the state of the sector for small business owners; how she has gone about winning new business over the years; the dynamics between large and small players in the industry; and case studies of businesses that get their marketing right versus those that do not.

Business Day Spotlight is a MultimediaLIVE Production.

With just a few days before South Africans cast their votes, local government elections are the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Dr Sithembile Mbete, a senior lecturer in the department of Political Sciences at the University of Pretoria and Program director at Apolitical Academy South Africa, together with Natasha Marrian, deputy editor at the Financial Mail.

Topics of discussion include: the importance of local government elections; the importance of these elections to the economy; the impact of the pandemic and lockdowns on campaigns; and the growth of coalition politics.

The relevance of radio broadcast advertising in the current economy is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Vukile Zondi, MD of GH Media Group.

Topics of discussion include: GH Media’s business model; the relevance of radio as a communication channel in 2021; the power of having Gagasi FM - the largest regional radio station in SA - and Heart FM under their stable; the future of effective brand advertising in the post pandemic world; what growing competition from digital channels like social media has meant for radio; and an outlook for the sector.

Litigation funding is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Gary Sweidan, co-founder and director of Taurus Capital, a litigation funding firm.

Topics of discussion include: an explanation of the litigation funding business model; challenges faced by people in funding cases; demand from investors and consumers for such a service; how much it takes to push a large case through the court system; and the risk involved in the business model.

The growth of online leaning in SA is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by John Shaw, CEO of Teneo, an online learning platform.

Topics of discussion include: Teneo’s business model; growth of online learning in SA and around the world; whether online education is everyone; the impact of Covid-19 on the education sector; whether or not online leaning is here to stay; Teneo's funding journey and growth; and an outlook for the business going further.

A system for reducing the time and cost associated with cross border payments is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Ruhling Herbst, program sponsor for TCIB at BankservAfrica.

Topics of discussion include: reasons why cross border payments remain a challenge despite advancements in payments technology; BankservAfrica’s Transactions Cleared on an Immediate Basis payments service explained; what it m to have a truly open payments system; the role of regional and national regulators in putting such a system together; and what it will take to make TCIB mainstream.

Funding challenges for small businesses are the focus on this edition Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Lelanie Bason, managing director for the academy and venture departments at MyGrowthFund Venture Partners.

Topics of discussion include: the challenges currently faced by small businesses in finding funding; reasons for this still being the status quo despite such problems existing for decades; ways in which small business owners can find and access funding; and what types of financing is best for different businesses.

SA’s pet industry is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Irené Raubenheimer, co-founder of Rogz.

In business for the last 26 years, Rogz is a pets accessories and gear business that Raubenheimer started with Paul Fuller in the late 1990’s.

Topics of discussion include: Rogz’s business model; evolution of SA’s pet industry over the last two decades; effects of Covid-19 on the sector; how SA compares to the global industry and prospects for the future.

The slow rate of electric vehicle (EV) adoption in SA is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Shadab Rahil, CEO of Payment24, a Cape Town based technology firm specialising in payment solutions for the transport and fleet industries.

Topics of discussion include: Payment24’s business model; factors currently holding back EV adoption in SA; the economics and business case for EVs in SA; the role of government in help to drive adoption; the role of fleet operators in driving local EV sales; and the growth in EVs around the world.

Cross border payments are the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Pardon Mujakachi, head of strategy and partnerships at Chipper Cash Africa, from Harare.

Topics of discussion include: how and why the business started; Chipper Cash’s business model; metrics around the current state of the business; how the company has been funded; the market opportunity; and where Chipper Cash hopes to take its business in SA.